Page 26 of Surviving Her

“Has she been bitten by one of them?” Eliza asked, her voice calm but authoritative.

No response.

“I can help, but I need water, alcohol, bandages, and you’re going to have to let me see what medicines you have. Do you have anything?”

The man nodded, rushing to gather the supplies as Eliza set to work. River stayed by her side, offering support as Eliza cleaned the wound and applied a makeshift poultice to draw out the infection. The young woman groaned in pain, but Eliza worked quickly, her hands steady as she did everything she could to stabilize her.

“Has she been bitten or scratched? We need to know. In fact, you should have said something before you let her go digging around in an open wound!” shouted River, feeling panicked as she helplessly watched the woman she cared for putting her own life at risk to save a stranger.

“We don’t think so. There haven’t been any of those dead people around here. We’re safe here,” explained an older woman who River assumed was the mother of the wounded girl. “She fell off her horse onto a jagged rock. It was days ago. I tried to keep it clean, but there was no running water. It’s been so hard…”

As Eliza continued to work, the other members of the group watched with their eyes wide with gratitude.

“Okay, I’ve stopped the bleeding and cleaned the wound as best I can. She’s going to need rest and more care, but I think she’ll pull through. You have six days’ worth of antibiotics here. I found them at the bottom of your first aid kit. You see these? They date back a few years, but they’ll do. Give her one in the morning and one in the evening until the whole packet is gone. Even if she starts to feel better, you have to give her all of them, do you understand?” Eliza said finally, wiping the sweat from her brow as she finished bandaging the girl’s leg.

The man who’d spoken earlier grasped her hand, his eyes shining with tears. “Thank you. I don’t know how to repay you. Thank you so much.”

“Erm, Lize?” interjected River, a hint of desperation in her voice. “Those antibiotics…couldn’t we take half? I mean, my dad, he’s going to…”

Eliza shook her head, offering her a small smile. “No, River. We can’t do that. She needs the whole course, or she’ll die from that infection.” She turned back to the older woman. “Just take care of her, and make sure she gets plenty of food if you have it…and rest.”

River placed a hand on Eliza’s shoulder as they stood to leave. The group had already begun tending to the sick girl.

“Why don’t you stay with us?” the man said suddenly, his voice filled with earnestness. “You’ve helped us so much. I can’t tell you how grateful we are. We could use people like you. We’re trying to build something here. Like…a refuge until things get straightened out.”

Eliza exchanged a glance with River, who could see the temptation in Eliza’s eyes. The idea of staying somewhere safe, surrounded by people who appreciated them, was more appealing than River wanted to admit. But she knew theycouldn’t stay, not when her father was still out there, waiting for her.

River shook her head, her voice gentle but firm. “We wish we could, but we have to keep moving. There’s someone we need to get to.”

The man gave her an understanding nod, but River saw the disappointment in his eyes. “I see. But listen, if you ever need a place to stay, please know that you can always come back. We’ve got plenty of room. We’re working on a veggie plot and a rota. We want to build a really nice little community out here.”

“Thank you,” Eliza said, her voice filled with genuine gratitude. “Best of luck with everything. And remember to take care of each other.”

With that, they turned and continued on their journey, leaving the camp behind. The sun was setting as they walked side by side.

“Maybe we should have stayed the night?” asked Eliza.

“We need to keep moving,” River sighed, her eyes fixed on the path in front of her.

10

ELIZA

Eliza’s breath came in short, sharp gasps as she carefully navigated the small town’s narrow, debris-strewn streets. Their journey so far had been tense, but they hadn’t encountered too many infected, and the ones they’d seen were preoccupied by eating animals and corpses. Everything about it seemed completely revolting and unnatural.

“Do you know where we are, Riv?” she called out toward River, who’d gone on ahead to explore the terrain.

River turned back with a wide smile on her lips. “I do! We’re in Verdwater! I used to come here with my pops to load up on bottles of cream soda. It has to be, what, just seven miles to the cabin from here.”

“Really? We’re that close? My God! We’re on a roll here!” Eliza cried out.

The air was thick with decay, the stench of death and rot clinging to the sidewalk, the parked cars, and even the buildings like a poisonous fog. Buildings that had once been full of life now stood empty. It was as if the town itself had given up, surrendering to the relentless march of time and the horrors that had befallen it. But despite this, both River and Eliza weredelighted to be closer to their destination, and possibly within reach of more supplies. The end of the trek was in sight.

“Look! There’s an old apothecary on the next street. It’s a touristy thing. I remember it really well! It’s not a real pharmacy, but you never know! We’re due a bit of luck, right?” River said, scurrying ahead before waiting for Eliza’s response.

Eliza glanced over her shoulder, the paranoia that had been building in her chest since they left the injured young girl behind returning suddenly with a vengeance. River had run on ahead, and Eliza felt a pang of anxiety at their separation. Every sound, every shift in the air, sent her heart into a tailspin. The weight of the silence pressed down on her, thick and suffocating. The fear that had been lurking in the back of her mind started to claw its way to the surface. Her head constantly turned, looking for more infected people or other dangers.

Calm down. We’re safe for now. Cool it with the anxious thoughts, Eliza.

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